Wireless communication may be used as a means of accessing a network. Wireless communication has certain advantages over wired communications for accessing a network. One of those advantages is a lower cost of infrastructure to provide access to many separate locations or addresses compared to wired communications. This is the so-called “last mile” problem. Another advantage is mobility. Wireless communication devices, such as cell phones, are not tied by wires to a fixed location. To use wireless communication to access a network, a customer needs to have at least one transceiver in active communication with another transceiver that is connected to the network.
To facilitate wireless communications, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) has promulgated a number of wireless standards. These include the 802.11 (WiFi) standards and the 802.16 (WiMAX) standards. Likewise, the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) has promulgated standards to facilitate wireless communications. This includes TIA-856, which is also known as Evolution-Data Optimized (EV-DO). The European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) has also promulgated a standard known as long term evolution (LTE). Additional standards such as the fourth generation communication system (4G) are also being pursued. These standards pursue the aim of providing a comprehensive IP solution where voice, data, and streamed multimedia can be given to users on an “anytime, anywhere” basis. These standards also aim to provide higher data rates than previous generations. All of these standards may include specifications for various aspects of wireless communication with a network. These aspects include processes for registering on the network, carrier modulation, frequency bands of operation, and message formats.
Overview
A method of allocating signal quality feedback bandwidth is disclosed. A first amount of bandwidth is allocated for a wireless device to send signal quality information to a base station. If an indicator of RF conditions satisfies a first criteria, a second amount of bandwidth is allocated for the wireless device to send signal quality information to the base station.
A method of allocating signal quality feedback slots is disclosed. A signal quality feedback slot is periodically allocated to a wireless device in one out of every En frames. The variable n is greater than or equal to zero and less than Nmax. The variable E is an integer greater than one. The variable n is increased if an indicator of RF conditions satisfies a first criteria. The variable n is decreased to a minimum value if a plurality of retry requests from the wireless device satisfy a retry criteria.
A method for allocating signal quality feedback bandwidth is disclosed. A wireless device is assigned to a first state. The first state allocates the wireless device a signal quality feedback slot every N frames. N is an integer greater than zero. The wireless device is transitioned to a second state if an indicator of RF conditions remains within a first range for a first number of frames. The second state allocates the wireless device the signal quality feedback slot every N*N frames. The first number of frames is increased if the indicator of RF conditions indicates that RF conditions have improved and exceed the first range. The wireless device is transitioned to the first state if the indicator of RF conditions indicates RF conditions have deteriorated below the first range.